


Untitled Prompt 2

by SameDestination



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angel Castiel, Angel Wings, Bittersweet, Cute, Cute Castiel/Dean Winchester, Fledgling Castiel, Fluff, Gen, Kid Fic, Wing Grooming, Wings, Young Castiel, Young Dean, learning how to fly, pinch of angst, pre-destiel, pre-series AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-12
Updated: 2014-06-12
Packaged: 2018-02-04 09:49:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1774753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SameDestination/pseuds/SameDestination
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kid!fic - Nine year old Dean Winchester becomes friends with a fledgling angel his father brings home from a hunt and finds himself helping to teach the young angel how to fly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Untitled Prompt 2

Dean was nine years old when his dad had brought Castiel, a defenseless young angel, back from a particularly bad hunt. At first, Dean was suspicious of the thing. He stopped believing in angels a year ago when they didn’t save his mom since they were supposedly ‘watching over him’. To make things even worse, his dad had chosen him to look after Castiel. From bathing to doing regular human stuff like eating and sleeping, Dean had to teach Castiel everything. This, somehow, worked to bring them closer and, a year later, Dean found himself not minding the chubby kid who just happened to have adorably fluffy wings and really blue eyes. He also slowly came to see him as more of a human than an angel.

Castiel shared a room with himself and Sammy and every night, Dean would get Castiel to sit on the edge of his bed and stretch out his wings. The feathers were soft between his fingers as he worked out the tats and fixed them up. Castiel would make pleased sounds, practically purring as Dean ran his fingers through his fluffy wings. Sam would make fun of Dean for this, telling him that he should be a hairdresser when he grew up. Dean would just throw pillows at him and tell him to shut up. Sometimes, he'd even tickle the sensitive parts of Castiel's wings just to see him smile. Who knew an angel could be so grumpy?

"Dad says I should help you learn to fly soon," he said one night as he was fixing a few feathers and collecting up the stray, moulting ones. The angel nodded, but Dean could see that he was clearly nervous about that prospect. "Hey, it'll be fun, okay? You'll be awesome!"

Except, Dean hadn't realised just how anxious Cas was about the whole flying thing. “Ouch! Cas, try not to pull on my hair, okay?” Dean groaned, feeling the tiny angel’s chubby little hands gripping his short hair so tightly he was sure he would probably have bald patches by the end of all this.

It was a clear summer’s day. Skies as blue as Castiel’s eyes spreading out for miles above them as a few fluffy, white clouds sauntered along lazily. The smell of freshly mown grass filled the air as Dean held onto Cas’ short legs which were draped over his shoulders.

After Dean’s complaints, the angel moved his hands from Dean’s hair to his eyes clumsily. “Now I can’t see,” he grumbled.

“Sorry, Dean,” Castiel murmured from where he was sat on Dean’s shoulders.

Within the last few weeks, his wings had gone from uncontrollably fluffy to much more chiseled and they were slowly starting to take proper shape. Sometimes, he’d look in the mirror and turn around, trying to catch a glimpse of his small wings which were now starting to look more like the proper angel ones his brothers and sisters back home had. It made him sad to think of home. He missed his family, but then he looked at Dean and Sam and realised that he had a family down here also. That thought always made him feel a lot better. Though, he knew he couldn’t stay here forever. He may just be a young angel, but he had just as much knowledge as his older counterparts had. He knew the way things were meant to be when you were a Heavenly being. As soon as you learned to fly, you were able to go wherever and whenever you wanted. You were as free as an angel could be. It all made him overwhelmingly nervous. Did he really want to leave the Winchesters?

He gripped Dean’s shoulders tightly, finally finding the perfect place to rest his hands as he let his wings stretch out a little. A little sigh left his lips as he felt the gentle breeze ruffle through his feathers and he couldn’t help the small smile on his lips. It felt good. It felt right. He felt so much more like an actual angel as he felt his wings move on his own command. He felt powerful.

“Okay, I’m gunna start walking around now,” Dean said and instantly felt Castiel’s grip on his shoulders tighten and his thighs tighten around his neck. “It’s gonna be ok, Cas. I won’t let you fall.”

Castiel took a deep breath and nodded. Then, Dean began to move and Castiel felt his feathers rustle as his wings seemed to flap on their own. Dean grinned as he tried to glance up at Castiel. He caught sight of the angel’s smile and took that as a good sign. With that, he picked up speed and began jogging.

A gasp left Castiel’s lips when Dean picked up speed and soon they were going faster and faster. It was so bumpy and Cas felt himself bouncing up and down on Dean’s shoulders. His wings fluttered wildly and he slowly let one arm extend, feeling the breeze through his fingers. It was an amazing feeling; the wind through his wings, freedom filling his heart. Then, there was the dread. He was growing up, he'd have to leave the Winchesters and he'd never see them again because once he returned to Heaven, he would be given proper Heavenly duties and it terrified him. Then felt like he was about to fall backwards as the force of his realisations hit him. His arms wrapped instinctively around Dean’s eyes frantically as he closed his eyes tightly, whimpering fearfully.

He heard Dean make a surprised yelp, then there was a soft thud as the boy ran into a nearby tree and they were falling backwards. Cas let out a soft cry before he felt his outstretched wings hit the ground, the grass softening his fall. When he opened his eyes, he saw nothing but blue.

Dean groaned right beside him as he sat up and looked back at him, rubbing his forehead. “You okay?” he asked, a pained expression on his face.

Castiel sat up too, face burning. He’d failed. What if he would never fly? “Y-Yeah,” he answered, staring at the grass with a frown on his face. "I'm sorry, Dean." Then, he felt a warm arm wrap around his shoulders comfortingly.

“Cas, it was your first try,” Dean said, squeezing his shoulder. “You did really good. Practice makes perfect, right?”

So that’s what they did.

 

*** * ***

 

After a whole two weeks with daily practice, not really getting anywhere, Dean suggested they try a different approach. He lay down on his back on the grass as Castiel stood by his side, hands resting at his side awkwardly.

“What do I do?” Cas asked, looking incredibly confused, pouting a little.

“Stand at my feet,” Dean ordered, raising his legs a little until his knees were near his chest.

Castiel did as he was told, eyebrows still knitted together. Then, Dean leaned forwards and held out his hands and Castiel took them skeptically. Dean then lay back down slowly, pulling Castiel forwards so that he was lying on Dean’s shins.

“Stretch out your wings, Cas,” Dean said with a smile as he gazed up into the angel’s eyes, feeling his hands shaking a little before he let his wings unfold with a shudder. Castiel’s wings were the coolest things Dean had ever seen. They were so dark and black with a tinge of sparkly blue at the tips. They were still fluffy, but they were slowly starting to take more shape and Dean tried to imagine what they’d look like when Cas was older.

Castiel let his hands slowly loosen on Dean’s and he fluttered his wings experimentally before beginning to flap them more confidently. Staring down into his best friend’s green eyes somehow made him feel a lot more confident and secure. Dean said he could fly, and he believed him.

“I’m gunna let go of your hands,” Dean whispered and, at first, Castiel’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “You can do it, Cas. I know you can.” Those words ignited something inside Castiel and he nodded slowly, biting down on his bottom lip with a look of intense concentration on his face.

Then, Dean let go of his hands and he spread out his shaking arms as he concentrated on controlling the appendages that suddenly seemed very heavy on his back. As he flapped them a little harder, they fluttered around him, some down feathers floating to the ground around Dean. Soon he felt himself rise a few inches into the air, eyes wide as Dean started to cheer.

He couldn’t believe it. He was flying. Or … floating in the air at least. It was an incredible feeling and Castiel couldn't stop smiling. A few seconds later, his wings got tired and he let himself fall down onto Dean slowly as they both began to giggle and roll about in the grass. He’d never been this happy. But, it was bittersweet moment for him. He knew that now he was learning to fly, it’d only be a matter of time before he would have to leave Dean and head back home to his real family.

For now, though, he tried not to think about it. He focused on the life in Dean's eyes and the happiness in his heart. The way Sam soon joined them and they played in the fields until the sun went down and they headed back inside the motel. He focused on the small pleasures of being with the Winchesters and being on Earth. He took every moment in, knowing that he would need his memories on the nights when he didn't have Sam and Dean anymore.

Growing up was painful. 

**Author's Note:**

> Original prompt from casinthongs on Tumblr:
> 
>  
> 
> _fledgling!Cas is learning how to fly and Dean helps him, carrying him on his shoulders so the little angel's wings get used to moving/balancing him on the wind/in the air <3_


End file.
